Resolutions for the New Year - 2017

Resolutions for the New Year - 2017

The new year is freshly upon us and I have five resolutions for the new year.

First up:
Learn Spanish!
When I went to Mexico this past July I was ill prepared to speak with the spanish speaking people there so I want to revisit Spanish. I took it in college, but I never practiced it so I forgot most of it but I want to learn spanish this year!

Abide in the Vine!

God's word says, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." We cannot bear fruit without abiding in the word of God. From day to day I want to live in the truth of God's word. When you look around hopelessness, pain, defeat, lies may seem like reality, but they are not. God's word is the only reality no matter what life looks like at the moment. My desire is that God's word will be my ONLY reality. I want to apply the word of God to every situation in life. The bible tells us how to handle every situation and we must be open to applying it if we want to faithfully abide in the vine. We can read the bible everyday but if we get up and go about life the rest of the day living according to our own way then we are not abiding in the vine which is the word of God. Luke 11:28 says, "Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." The only way we can be blessed with the effects of God's word is if we obey it. So that is what I'm resolving to do this year by the grace of God.

Hide Myself in God
When I attended church as a young girl I struggled to understand what it meant when I heard the following verse flow from the songstress lips, "Let me hide myself in thee." But as I have become older, I have come to understand that you can hide yourself from the pain and stress of life if you hide yourself in God. Psalm 91:1 says, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." To dwell means to live. If we live in the secret place of the most high by having constant communication with Him and casting all of our cares onto Him, we will remain safe under His shadow. What a reassuring thought. I want to live in this reality and hide in Him constantly. I don't want to find refuge in television or food or friendships. I only want to find refuge in Him. There is no substitute. For 2 Peter 1:3 says, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue." The more we look for the knowledge of God for every area of our life and apply it and agree with God we will see that He has shown us how to live this life and how to become more like Christ. Therefore I want to apply the word of God to every area of my life and watch Him protect me from dangers as He molds me into the image of Christ.

Love...Love...Love!
I want to love, love, love others. Galatians 5:14 says, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." It' is simple and I want to continue to treat others the way that I want to be treated in the new year and beyond.  If you want others to forgive you quickly then resolve to forgive others immediately when you are offended. If you want others to encourage you then encourage others when you see that they need it. I want to be like my Father in heaven and love others unconditionally.

Be the Kind of Friend that I Want to Have
I want to be the kind of friend that I want to have. My sister gave me some great advice today. She told me to make a list of things/attributes that I want in a friend. Then she told me to look at the list and take inventory and be the kind of friend that I want to have. If you want a friend who gives you thoughtful gifts then give them gifts. If you want a friend who is willing to spend time with you when you need it then give of your time as well. So I made a list and prayed and resolved to be a better friend this year and beyond by God's grace.

Thanks for reading and God Bless you in 2017 tremendously! Happy New Year!

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A Stranger Paid My Bill (The Heart Of Christmas)

 I was in  dollar tree grabbing a few things for myself and getting more gifts and things for people and somethings to help out my Mom. I was joyful and and thriving on the wonder of this Christmas season. After I finished shopping I was standing in line and a stranger pointed out a shorter line, I thanked him in relief,  the line I had been standing was super long. When the cashier finished ringing up all my items I went to pay  the cashier the total of my bill  and the  stranger suddenly stepped in and said that's okay I got the bill, after assuring me he had it and I thanked him, he concluded with a joyful Merry Christmas! I could see a lot of the people in the store were surprised at this genuine act of kindness but no one was more surprised than I.  It's funny I was going out my way to buy somethings to give to someone and in the process someone gave to me. I rushed to my sister in the car to tell her what happened,when  I turned back to show my sister the stranger who showed me this act of kindness he was gone maybe an angel or just a giving person??? I couldn't get over the fact that my bill was free.This reminded me of God's gifts to us which are bountiful and free. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.John 3:16 (KJV)
God has truly offered us the greatast gift we can recieve and it's free. I don't know if the stranger was an angel or just a nice person,but God used him to bless me.This is just one of the blessings I've received this wonderful season and this year,giving,honoring God's gift to us and love for one another is the heart of this season! #given#stillhasntregistered #theheartofchristmas #thegiftofgiving #loveoneanother#aschristlovesus


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Top 5 Christmas Worship Songs

Let Christmas prompt you even the more to worship our Lord and savior! For God is worthy of all the glory and the honor and Christmas is a celebration of who he is and what he did for every one whose ever lived. O Come let us worship and adore him! #christmasworship #worthyofallglory#adorehim

21 Myths (Even Good) Girls Believe About Sex Interview with Jennifer Strickland

What compelled you to write on this topic?

A publisher had an idea for a book on the myths of sex and they were looking for a writer. So they asked me and  I believed I could write on this topic . For a year it was like a romance  with God totally in zone with him.This book was God's idea. Sex covers so many topics, I know the bad sides and many women have experienced much worse things. I have a healthy relationship with my husband so I knew the good and the bad and know I could help people to defer between the two. There are so many topics about sex including but not limited to" homosexuality, STDs, marriage, sexual sin, sex trafficking, abortion. I’m honored to have had the opportunity to write this book and I hope it will help a lot of women.

What are some of the myths girls buy into?

There are so many myths. But one myth is your body is separate from your soul in the modeling industry they  told me you can give your body away and your soul is not affected, however your body is connected to your soul. When you give your body away you give away your heart & soul. That’s why we get heartbreak because those relationships where we’ve been sexually active get  torn apart or broken up. The body and soul are connected, just like when a woman has a baby it happens in her body but it soul’s connected.Another one of the myths is that sex is casual. (friends with benefits) A lot of girls wonder why do I have an eating disorder why am I depressed? Their giving away their body their precious temple and they wonder why they’re feeling this way. I spoke at a college recently on body image the more I talked the more I realized the majority of the girls were sexually active and they wonder why they don’t feel good in their body. Inside of marriage you’re united under the covenant there is no shame it's just beautiful, but outside of marriage it's not.Another  myth is  sex is a part of dating, but sex is part of marriage it’s the fabric and where the babies come from. Another myth is I plan my pregnancies, but God controls the womb. God created us before the womb, in Isaiah 49:5 it says God called us before the womb. Another  myth is that prostitutes, and such like are dirty, but most of them have been abused. They were violated and they deserve our compassion their broken and need our love. The book talks on homosexuals are we loving them well, reaching out, we need to provide resources that will help them get out of that lifestyle. We meed to work with them help them and love them. The bible does say Homosexuality is a sin, but we have to present grace and truth.

Ultimately, it’s a book about love and single women, being the bride of Christ, protecting your body, letting God fill your cup, in this book there is a lot of hope for single women, .

This book is about love and grace love of God and forgiveness. Songs of Solomon doesn’t even use the word sex, it’s about love the way God talks to us.

Prince Charming ideal

How can young girls refocus and change that Prince Charming mindset?

In marriage my husband wasn’t perfect and I realized I had been  disillusioned about marriage and men. If you put your trust in man it well be like Jeremiah said a parched desert, but with God it will be like a watered stream.(expectations for a man vs. God)

Changing your focus as a single woman and even in marriage and get your eyes on God. The more you look to God the more fulfilled you will be and  the more you will be able to love. Fix your eyes on God.

Abortion what about women who have had abortions are considering it?

God is the creator of life and the finisher he’s God and were not. He does create us in our mother womb, he will call us home one day and we are not to play God. Another problem concerning abortion is  the father has little to no rights concerning his own child, a lot of men are angry who have experienced this. We have lifted woman up like Gods, they say woman get to choose,it's their body, but it’s not our body it’s God's body and we get to choose. We must choose life. In Deuteronomy 30:19 God says  I have set before you death and life choose life. Woman who have abortions are effected the rest of their life, even woman in their 40’s still struggle, some of these woman are going into the pregnancy centers and are loving and encouraging girls using their mistake as a way to encourage others to make the right choice. Pregnancy agencies have so many resources now :jobs, adoption, medical care. There are so many ministries and pregnancy resources for women who need to heal or make the right decisions and bible studies for woman who have experienced abortions. If you've had an abortion God can forgive you. Many broken woman who have made the wrong decisions have been redeemed and now are making a great impact in the world.

Purity

How does a young person keep them self pure and avoid the media’s influence?

It takes real grit and deep conviction to stand up for you believe. Even if your home and everyone is out partying  that's okay. It is also wise not to drink at all,you must have strong boundaries. Concerning dating stay in public places (not secluded places). Believe that you’re more, that’s faith believe. If you feel like it's for you to get  married believe he’s worth it and you’re worth it. However,don’t save sex for the promise that once you get married sex will be amazing, save sex as a devotion to God. If  you save it with the mindset that I’ll meet a perfect man and sex life will be amazing that's wrong, the bible says the pure in heart we will see God.

Purchase a Copy of 21 Myths (Even Good) Girls Believe About Sex by Jennifer Strickland today!

https://www.amazon.com/Myths-Even-Girls-Believe-about/dp/1634091https://www.amazon.com/Myths-Even-Girls-Believe-about/dp/1634091337337

If you purchase the book please leave a review on Amazon after reading it.Thanks!


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Book Give Away!

We will be giving away a free copy of 21 Myths about sex by Jennifer Strickland,a book about God's view on sex & relationships. If you'd like a chance to win please comment below and add us to your google circles.

21 Myths (Even Good) Girls Believe about Sex uncovers the most believed untruths girls have about dating and sex. With honest, straight-forward language Christian author Jennifer Strickland shares the myths, the truths, and the practical ways you can enjoy the pursuit of passion and purity.

Fudgy Gluten Free Black Bean Brownies

INGREDIENTS:

1 can of BLACK BEANS

1 cup of Chickpea Flour

2 oz OF BAKING CHOCOLATE

1 cup DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE CHIPS (half to blend, half to mix 
in/top with)

2 tbsp MAPLE SYRUP

1/4 cup VEGAN BUTTER

½ -2/3 cup of SUGAR

2 EGGS

2 tbsp COCOA POWDER

pinch of SALT

1 TBSP OF GROUND COFFEE

splash of VANILLA EXTRACT

METHOD:

1. Prepare your ingredients.Melt chocolate and butter, puree black beans.Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease an 8×8 pan.  In a large mixing bowl, mix/blend together eggs, sugar, coffee and vanilla extract until smooth. Add beans, chocolate/butter and gradually all remaining ingredients,add half of the chocolate chips to the batter and stir, until it resembles a thick brownie batter, very slowly add a little milk of choice (or water) if it's too thick until the desired texture is reached. Smooth evenly into the prepared pan, then press in some the rest of the chocolate chips the if desired. Bake 25-30 minutes, then remove from the oven. Let cool for at about 10 minutes. After a day, leftovers should be stored in the fridge for freshness. Enjoy!!!

Put Your Prayers Into Action!

If you really want to be FREE or experience GROWTH in an area of your life as a Christian, then there must come a time when your prayers turn into action, and your actions represent the sincerity of your prayers.If you're truly praying with a contrite heart believing that God can and will answer your request then your actions must follow, that is the evidence of your faith. It starts with submitting your mind,body,soul, time and decisions to God. For example if you want to run a marathon you will do whatever training is necessary to successfully run that marathon.Faith without works is dead.If you want to be free or experience growth, put your prayers into action. Bottom line if you want to be free or grow you will do whatever it takes to be free,faith is not just belief it's action.!!!That first action is submitting to god in whatever area he may be dealing with you about. Give God everything,trust him completely, and act like you believe by getting in action.

James 2:26 - For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James 2:14-26 - What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?   

James 2:24 - Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

James 2:18 - Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:


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